A USC ANNENBERG —

COMMON SENSE MEDIA

STUDY | 2018

THE NEW NORMAL:

PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES
IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
 Credits

Author: Michael B. Robb, director of research, Common Sense Media

Willow Bay, dean, Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California
Tina Vennegaard, director, strategic initiatives and partnerships, Annenberg School for Communication and
Journalism, University of Southern California

Acknowledgments: Special thanks to Sonia Livingstone, professor of social psychology in the department of media and
communications at the London School of Economics and Political Science and editor of Parenting for a
Digital Future, for her guidance and suggestions during the development of the survey and report.

Data collection: Research Now SSI

Data analysis: Melissa Saphir, Ph.D., Saphir Research

Copy editor: Jenny Pritchett

Designers: Kristin Bumgarner and Dana Herrick

Suggested citation: Robb, M. B., Bay, W., & Vennegaard, T. (2018). The new normal: Parents, teens, and mobile devices in the United Kingdom.
San Francisco, CA: Common Sense.
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Key Findings and Methodology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Infographic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Daily Source of Distraction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Are parents and teens distracted by their devices?

Emerging Source of Conflict. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Are mobile devices a source of conflict in family life?

How are mobile devices affecting parent-teen relationships?

“Feeling Addicted”.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Do parents and teens “feel addicted”?

Do families try to cut back on mobile device use?

The Urge to Check. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Growing Awareness, Ambivalence, and Optimism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Ditch the phone? How would teens feel without it?

How much do parents worry about teens’ mobile device use?

How do mobile devices affect typical family activities?

Managing mobile devices

What are the upsides of mobile device use?

How Do Parents & Teens in the United Kingdom Compare to Those .

in the United States and Japan?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Comparison Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

United Kingdom

Across the UK, U.S., and Japan

Emerging Source of Conflict. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Conflict over teens’ use of devices

How are mobile devices affecting parent-teen relationships?

“Feeling Addicted” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Spending too much time on devices

Do families try to cut back?

The Urge to Check. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Feeling the need to respond immediately

Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Resources

Appendix: Toplines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Part 1: Parent Questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Part 2: Teen Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

INTRODUCTION
By Willow Bay and James P. Steyer
The ubiquity of mobile devices and the rising power of digital and
social media are changing the way we engage not only with the
world around us but also with the people who are the closest to us.
These shifts are happening faster and more dramatically than any
change in recent history, and they are having an impact on people
of all ages.
Mobile devices have become a powerful presence in our lives,
altering the patterns of daily life and rewiring our most personal
relationships, including interaction between parents and kids. We
believe this is happening in many countries around the world. To
truly understand the impact of technology on our relationships and
the new ways we engage with our devices and each other, we need
to dig deeper into the global media habits and attitudes of parents
and teens.
Together, Common Sense Media and the University of Southern
California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
have embarked upon a global mapping project designed to advance
a cross-cultural exploration of family digital media engagement.
When we began this collaboration more than a year ago, the idea
for this work was timely. This is the first generation of teens to grow
up with a mobile device in their hands — and the first generation of
parents to face unprecedented challenges in managing digital
media in their own lives and in the lives of their children.
For many years, Common Sense Media has conducted research on
children’s media use in the United States. Responding to the con-
cerns of educators and parents about increasing mobile device use
and media consumption by children and teens, Common Sense
Media began to examine both the positive and the problematic
dimensions of each. Their first series of reports in 2016 revealed
the struggle of a significant minority of families to integrate mobile
technology into their lives in a healthy way. In September 2017,
USC Annenberg and Common Sense Media released their first
cross-cultural study on the digital media habits and attitudes of
parents and teens. That initial collaboration, The New Normal:
Parents, Teens, and Digital Devices in Japan, focused on families in
Japan, comparing the results to Common Sense’s 2016 studies of
American families.
We’re delighted to share our latest effort: new findings about
mobile device use and digital media engagement among parents
and teens in the United Kingdom. With an approach anchored in
the ongoing research by Common Sense Media on children’s
media use in the United States, USC Annenberg identified over
1,200 parents and teens (618 parent-teen pairs) age 13 to 17 across
the United Kingdom. Together, we designed a questionnaire that
would help deepen our understanding of the impact of technology
on their daily lives, relationships with one another, and evolving
digital experiences.
We included questions about the feelings of addiction, distraction,
and conflict that had emerged as consistent themes in our previous
work. We added new ones such as “How much time passes before
© 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
you use a mobile device on a regular weekday morning?” and “How
often do you try to cut back the amount of time you spend on
mobile devices?”
This UK study also attempts to elicit families’ feelings about the
positive attributes of new technology with additional questions
about the role mobile device use plays in developing new skills and
advancing creativity and self-expression.
What did we discover? The results indicate UK teens and parents
feel mobile devices are daily distractions in family life and, for
some, an emerging source of conflict. A significant number of
parents and teens say they “feel addicted” and report a need to
respond to texts, social networking messages, and other notifica-
tions early and often. Those concerns sit alongside feelings of
optimism about the benefits of mobile technology.
From our work in the U.S., Japan, and the UK, it is clear that the
impact of mobile devices on daily life and the challenges of navi-
gating the current digital media environment are felt across
cultures and communities. Since our initial study, the news and
noise around the impact of these powerful technological, social,
and cultural shifts continue to grow — as does our need for a
deeper understanding. We hope to advance the conversation by
grounding it in new data and by continuing to compare it across
countries and cultures. As we have done with this latest work, we
will adapt our questions to reflect our growing understanding of
the impact of these new technologies and add new ones as we
expose additional lines of inquiry.
We are grateful for the valuable guidance we received throughout
this process from Sonia Livingstone, professor of social psychology
at the London School of Economics and Political Science and editor
of the blog Parenting for a Digital Future.
At this extraordinary moment in history, when so many of our per-
sonal interactions involve a mobile device, we hope to offer timely
and thoughtful analysis that will spark a new wave of global inter-
est, research, and conversation. We hope parents and teens
benefit from these studies and that this research helps them inte-
grate technology into their lives in thoughtful and productive ways.
Willow Bay James P. Steyer
Dean, Annenberg School for Founder and CEO,
Communication and Journalism, Common Sense
University of Southern California
THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM  1
Both teens and parents say
mobile devices are a daily
distraction in family life.

2 THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM © 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
KEY FINDINGS AND METHODOLOGY
1. Daily Source of Distraction
We’ve got a new relationship in our family lives, and it’s a very
demanding one. Both teens and parents tell USC Annenberg and
Common Sense Media that mobile devices are a daily distraction
in family life. Almost three-quarters of parents (72 percent) and
over half of teens (54 percent) report that teens get distracted by
their mobile devices at least once a day. Half of parents (50
percent) and 44 percent of teens report that parents get dis-
tracted by their mobile devices at least once a day.
2. Emerging Source of Conflict
The pull of mobile devices is powerful for both adults and teens
and is emerging as a new family conflict zone. One in five parents,
and one in five teens, says they argue about the teen’s device use
on a daily basis. An additional quarter of parents and teens say
they argue over it once a week. Approximately one-third of
parents, and one-third of teens, says they never argue about the
teen’s use of mobile devices.
Parents say “screen time” ranks as the third-most-prevalent
source of conflict, following chores and bedtime. About two-
thirds of families have rules about mobile device use, such as
devices not being allowed at the dinner table. Yet those rules are
often broken. Only about 30 percent of families say no one breaks
the rules.
1. Survey participants were asked whether they “feel addicted to their mobile devices.” However, this should not be interpreted as evidence of a
clinical addiction. Rather, we interpret it as reflecting feelings or perceptions about the presence and impact of mobile devices on participants’ lives.
© 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
3. “Feeling Addicted”
We see a growing awareness among both parents and teens of
the unhealthy dimensions of their attachment. Nearly half of both
parents and teens say they “feel addicted” to their own mobile
devices, and many see the other as being “addicted” as well.1
Asked about time spent on mobile devices, over a quarter of
teens (29 percent) feel their parents spend too much time on
their devices; sixty-five percent of parents say their teens spend
too much time on theirs. A majority of parents and a third of teens
acknowledge trying to cut back on the time they spend on their
mobile devices.
4. Urge to Check
There is an urge to check devices early and often: Over a quarter
of parents (27 percent) and almost half of teens (48 percent)
check their devices within five minutes of waking up. Another 45
percent of parents and 31 percent of teens check their devices
within 30 minutes of waking up. Parents and teens say they feel
compelled to check them frequently: Over half (58 percent) of
parents and two-thirds (66 percent) of teens report checking
their devices at least once an hour. And over half of parents (57
percent) and almost two-thirds of teens (65 percent) “always” or
“very often” feel the need to respond immediately to texts, social
media messages, or other notifications.
THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM  3
5. Growing Awareness,
Ambivalence, and Optimism
Despite reporting concerns about feelings of addiction and dis-
traction, parents and teens express optimism about the benefits
of mobile device use. About two-thirds of both teens and parents
believe that teens’ mobile device use helps them learn techno-
logical skills, and more than half of both parents and teens report
that device use helps them develop skills they’ll need in high
school or college.
While parents and teens express awareness of mobile devices as
a source of tension and conflict, most do not believe it harms their
relationship. Nearly three-quarters (71 percent) of parents feel
their teen’s use of mobile devices has made no difference to their
relationship, and 15 percent say it has helped. More than three-
quarters (83 percent) of teens feel their parents’ use of mobile
devices has made no difference to their relationship; another
14 percent say it has helped their relationship. They believe that
mobile device use supports family activities such as travel in posi-
tive ways. Yet both parents and teens ranked family conversations
highest on a list of family activities negatively affected by mobile
device use.
4 THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
Methodology
This national online survey was conducted by USC Annenberg
and Common Sense Media in June 2018 among parents and their
teens age 13 to 17 across the United Kingdom. It details the media
habits and attitudes of UK families today and their effects on the
parent-teen dynamic. The sample included teens (n=618) and
their parents (n=618), for a total of 1,236 participants who jointly
completed the survey. Only one parent and one teen per family
could participate. Parents took the first part of their survey and
then passed it to their teenager to complete the second part of
the survey. Qualifying criteria were as follows:
•• Parent of at least one child age 13 to 17 living at least part
time at home with them who is a primary user of an inter-
net-enabled mobile device used for non-work purposes.
•• Child uses internet-enabled mobile device for non-study
purposes.
The sample used in the study comes from Research Now SSI’s
online sample, a panel that is managed to allow the selection of
samples to reflect the target population. The specifications for
this report included demographic and geographic targeting and
quotas ensuring a balanced representation of parents’ gender,
age, and occupation. The sample distribution also was weighted
by gender to reflect attributes of the actual population. The
unweighted margin of error for this sample is +/-3.0 percent.
After weighting, the margin of error is +/-4.2 percent.
Participants from the panel were contacted via notifications
including emails. Once within Research Now SSI’s system, par-
ticipants were matched with the survey using multiple points of
randomization. Security checks and quality verifications were
used before the participant could begin any survey, including
digital fingerprinting to prevent duplication, spot-checking via
third-party verification to prove identity, benchmarking against
known external data points, and Research Now SSI’s Blend algo-
rithm, which monitors the sample for consistency on a number of
personality and psychographic measures drawn from academic
literature.
© 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Despite reporting concerns
about feelings of addiction,
parents and teens express
optimism about the benefits
of mobile device use.

© 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM  5
 EMBARGOED DRAFT
THE NEW NORMAL: Parents, Teens, and Mobile Devices in the United Kingdom

Teens and Parents But They Are

“Feel Addicted” to Optimistic
and Distracted by About Them, Too
Mobile Devices
2 out of 3 parents
Percent who say they “feel distracted” by and teens believe
mobile devices at least once a day: that teens’ mobile
device use helps
Parents 50% them learn
technological skills
Teens 54%
Percent who “feel addicted” to their Percent who say that mobile device use
mobile devices:
helps teens develop skills they’ll need in
Parents 46% high school or college:

Teens 44% Parents: 51% Teens: 57%

Mobile Devices But It Doesn’t

Cause Tension in Necessarily Hurt
Some Families Parent-Child
Relationships
20%
86 %
of parents say they
argue about their teen’s device use daily
of parents feel their teen’s
Most frequent sources of conflict between use of mobile devices has made no difference
parents and teens (according to parents): or has even helped in their relationship

97 % of teens feel their parent’s

use of mobile devices has made no difference
or has even helped in their relationship

35% 33% 31%

Chores Bedtime Screen time

6 THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM © 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Daily Source of Distraction FIGURE 1. Distracted by mobile devices at least once a day,
parents vs. teens
Are parents and teens distracted by their devices?
PARENTS SAY
Quite often, yes. Concerns about mobile device use include
potential disruptions or interference with daily personal interac- I get distracted.

tions. Indeed, almost three-quarters of parents (72 percent) and 50%

over half of teens (54 percent) report that teens get distracted by
their devices at least once a day (see Figure 1). By contrast, about
Teen gets distracted.
half of parents (50 percent) and teens (44 percent) report that
parents get distracted by their mobile devices at least once a day. 72%

Emerging Source of Conflict TEENS SAY

I get distracted.
Are mobile devices a source of conflict in family life?
54%
In some families, mobile devices are a regular source of tension.
One in five parents (22 percent) and teens (20 percent) say they Parent gets distracted.
argue about the teen’s device use on a daily basis. Approximately
44%
one-quarter of both groups say they argue over it on a weekly
basis. Still, over a third of parents (35 percent) and slightly less
than a third of teens (29 percent) say they never argue about the
teen’s use of mobile devices (see Figure 2).

To put conflict over mobile devices in context with other potential

family stressors, we also asked parents and teens which topics, if
FIGURE 2. F requency of arguing over teens’ use of mobile
any, cause “regular difficulties or conflicts” between them (see devices, parents’ vs. teens’ perceptions
Table 1). Amount of screen time ranked third for parents (after
chores/helping around the house and bedtime/sleep) and fourth Never
for teens (after chores, bedtime, and homework). 35%

29%

Less than once a week

TABLE 1. C
 ause of “regular difficulties or conflicts” between
parent and teen, parents’ vs. teens’ perceptions 24%

Parents Teens 18%

Chores/helping around house 35% 32%

Weekly
Bedtime/sleep 33% 31%
25%
Amount of screen time 31% 27%
27%
Homework 28% 28%
Teens’ behavior 27% 23% Daily

What teens eat 18% 18% 22%

What teens do on devices 17% 19% ◼ Parents say

20%
◼ Teens say
Money 14% 17%
What teens do with friends 13% 14%
What teens wear 9% 12%

© 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM  7
 How are mobile devices affecting parent-teen
FIGURE 3. Effects of the other’s use of mobile devices on
relationships?
parent-teen relationships, parents’ vs. teens’
perceptions The vast majority of respondents say mobile devices are not
hurting parent-teen relationships (see Figure 3). Almost three-
Mainly hurt
quarters (71 percent) of parents feel their teen’s use of mobile
15% devices has made no difference in their relationship; another 15
percent say it has helped their relationship. More than three-
3% quarters (83 percent) of teens feel their parent’s use of mobile
devices has made no difference in their relationship; another 14
Make no difference percent say it has helped their relationship. Very few teens (3
percent) feel that their parent’s use of mobile devices has hurt
71%
their relationship. A slightly larger minority of parents (15
percent) feel that their teen’s use of mobile devices has hurt their
83%
relationship.

Mainly help

15%

14%
FIGURE 4. Parents’ addiction to, and time spent on, mobile
devices, parents’ vs. teens’ perceptions
◼ Parents
◼ Teens
“Feeling Addicted”
Do parents and teens “feel addicted”?
Many parents and teens say they “feel addicted” to their mobile
devices. In this case, “addiction” is not a clinical diagnosis but a
perception about the presence of mobile devices in their lives
and their impact on everyday family life.

Parents say …
PARENTS SAY

I "feel addicted" to my device. Almost half of parents (46 percent) “feel addicted” to their
mobile devices. Asked about time spent on their devices, 44
46%
percent of parents say they spend too much time on them (see
Figure 4). Almost two-thirds of parents (63 percent) feel their
I spend too much time on my device. teens are “addicted” to their mobile devices, and 65 percent feel
44% that their teens spend too much time on them (see Figure 5 on
page 9).

TEENS SAY

I feel parents are “addicted” to their devices.

35%

I feel parents spend too much time on their devices.

29%

8 THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM © 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Teens say …
FIGURE 5. T
 eens’ addiction to, and time spent on, mobile
Almost half of teens (44 percent) “feel addicted” to their mobile devices, parents’ vs. teens’ perceptions
devices. Asked about time spent on mobile devices, 32 percent
of teens say they spend too much time on their devices (see PARENTS SAY
Figure 5). Over a third of teens (35 percent) feel their parents are
I feel teens are “addicted” to their devices.
“addicted” to their mobile devices, and over a quarter of teens
(29 percent) say they feel that their parents spend too much time 63%
on them (see Figure 4).

I feel teens spend too much time on their devices.

Do families try to cut back on mobile device use? 65%

Some parents and teens are trying to reduce the amount of time
they spend with their devices. A majority of parents (61 percent) TEENS SAY
but only a third of teens (33 percent) say they try to “cut back”
I “feel addicted” to my device.
on the time they spend using their mobile devices at least occa-
sionally. Among those who try to reduce their use of mobile 44%
devices, almost a quarter of parents (24 percent) and almost a
third of teens (32 percent) say they “rarely” or “never” succeed I spend too much time on my device.
in cutting back. The remainder of parents who try to cut back are
evenly split between those who “occasionally” succeed (39 32%

percent) and those who “very often” or “always” succeed” (37

percent). The remainder of teens are more likely to say they
“occasionally” succeed (43 percent, versus 26 percent who say
they “very often” or “always” succeed) (see Figure 6).

FIGURE 6. When trying to cut back on the amount of time

spent on mobile devices, how often they actually
succeed, parents vs. teens

Rarely or never

24%

32%

Occasionally

39%

43%

Very often or always

37%

26% ◼ Parents
◼ Teens

© 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM  9
The Urge to Check
Many parents and teens begin their day with a mobile device.
About three-quarters of parents (72 percent) and teens (79
FIGURE 8. C
 heck devices at least once an hour,
percent) check their devices within 30 minutes of waking up,
parents vs. teens
including over a quarter of parents (27 percent) and almost half
of teens (48 percent) who check their devices within five minutes
of waking up (see Figure 7).
66%
Many parents and teens feel a need to check their devices fre-
58%
quently. Over half (58 percent) of parents and two-thirds of teens
check their devices at least once an hour (see Figure 8). Many
indicate a pressure to respond immediately to texts, messages,
and other notifications. Over half of parents (57 percent) and
almost two-thirds of teens (65 percent) “always” or “very often”
feel the need to respond immediately (see Figure 9).

Parents Teens

FIGURE 7. H
 ow much time passes before using a device on a FIGURE 9. “Always” or “very often” feel the need to respond
regular weekday morning, parents vs. teens immediately to texts, parents vs. teens

PARENTS
1%
65%
9%
57%
27%
18%

45%

TEENS
Parents Teens
3%
5%

13%

◼ 5 minutes
48%
◼ 6–30 minutes
◼ 31–60 minutes
31%
◼ More than 60 minutes
◼ Don’t use device on a regular
weekday morning

10 THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM © 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Growing Awareness,
Ambivalence, and Optimism
Ditch the phone? How would teens feel without it?
Teens were asked to select from a list of emotions to describe
how they would feel without their devices for a day. Most teens
say that to a moderate or great extent, they would feel bored
(66 percent), anxious (44 percent), or lonely (40 percent) (see
Figure 10). However, almost a third would feel happy (30 percent)
or free (34 percent), and almost a quarter of teens (23 percent)
would feel relieved to be without their devices.
FIGURE 10. Emotions teens would feel to a moderate or great
extent if they had to go without mobile devices for
a day (to a “moderate extent” or to a “great
extent”)
Boredom
How much do parents worry about teens’ mobile
device use?
About a third of the UK parents we surveyed are at least moder-
ately worried about content on the mobile devices their teens use.
Twenty-eight percent worry about content on websites or apps
their teens use, 32 percent worry about what their teens see on
social media, and 26 percent worry about what their teens post
on social media. The level of parents’ worry about mobile device
content was not associated with their teen’s age or gender.
How do mobile devices affect typical .
family activities?
We asked parents and teens how their own use of mobile devices
affects a range of family activities. The most common response
— especially from teens — is that they “make no difference” (see
Figure 11 on page 12). However, a closer look reveals that there are
some areas where parents and teens see distinct benefits and
harm to family life.

66%
Parents say ...

Anxiety Family travel is the activity that parents are most likely to report
being helped by mobile devices. Almost half of parents (48
44%
percent) say their own use of mobile devices helps family travel,
Loneliness and almost a third (31 percent) say their teens’ mobile devices
help. The activity that parents are most likely to cite as being hurt
40%
by devices is family conversations. Over a quarter of parents (27
Freedom percent) say their own use of devices hurts conversations, and a
34% third (33 percent) say their teens’ devices hurt conversations.

Happiness
Teens say ...
30%
Teens agree that device use helps family travel and outings. Teens
Relief are less likely than their parents to say that any family activities
23%
are negatively affected by mobile devices, but teens still rank
family conversations as the activity most hurt by device use.

© 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM  11
FIGURE 11. P
 arents’ and teens’ perceptions of their own and the others’ use of mobile devices on family activities, by type

PARENTS’ PERCEPTION

My use of devices affects family: My teen’s use of devices affects family:

Activities Activities

37% 42% 21% 22% 51% 27%

Outings Outings

38% 44% 18% 24% 52% 24%

Conversations Conversations

26% 47% 27% 21% 46% 33%

Travel Travel

48% 43% 8% 31% 52% 17%

Meals Meals ◼ Helps a lot/a little

22% 61% 17% 15% 57% 28%
◼ Makes no difference
◼ Hurts a little/a lot

TEENS’ PERCEPTION

My use of devices affects family: My parent’s use of devices affects family:

Activities Activities

28% 60% 12% 25% 66% 10%

Outings Outings

30% 60% 9% 25% 68% 8%

Conversations Conversations

24% 61% 16% 21% 68% 11%

Travel Travel

31% 62% 8% 29% 65% 6%

Meals Meals

18% 69% 13% 16% 77% 7%

Note: Segments may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

12 THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM © 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Managing mobile devices
FIGURE 12. Most likely to break family rules about device use,
Given the pervasiveness of mobile devices in family life, this survey parents’ vs. teens’ perceptions
explored the ways in which families manage mobile device use.
Adults
We asked whether families have rules about mobile device use
13%
and if parents and teens see eye to eye about those rules. About
two-thirds of respondents (66 percent of parents and 62 percent 17%

of teens) say that their families have rules about the use of mobile
Teens/Siblings
devices, such as devices not being allowed at the dinner table.
41%
Among those who do have family rules, 69 percent of parents
39%
and 73 percent of teens report that someone in the family breaks
the rules. Teens are the most likely to break them, according to 41 Both
percent of parents and 39 percent of teens (see Figure 12). 15%
However, 13 percent of parents and 17 percent of teens say the
17%
adults are most likely to break the rules about devices, and similar
percentages say that teens and parents are equally likely to break Nobody
the rules (15 percent of parents and 17 percent of teens say this).
30%

Parents use a variety of strategies for managing their teens’ use ◼ Parents say
27%
of mobile devices (see Table 2). Establishing rules about use of ◼ Teens say
mobile devices is the most common (34 percent of parents do
this “sometimes,” and 28 percent do this “often” or “very often”).
Suggesting that teens use websites or apps that parents think are
good is another common approach (43 percent of parents do this
“sometimes,” and 14 percent do this “often” or “very often”). TABLE 2. Parents who “sometimes” or “often/very often” try
to manage teens’ use of mobile devices

Often/.
Method of managing use Sometimes Very often
Suggest they use websites/apps 43% 14%
that you think are good
Make rules about their use of 34% 28%
mobile devices
Remove device as punishment 30% 16%
for bad behavior
Check which friends and con- 27% 17%
tacts they add
“Friend” or “follow” them on 26% 26%
social media to see what they do
Check their messages 22% 13%
Let them use device as reward 21% 12%
for good behavior
Use parental controls/apps to 20% 20%
block or monitor access to
websites/apps

© 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM  13
What are the upsides of mobile device use?
There are many areas in which parents and teens express opti-
mism about the benefits of mobile device use, with teens being
slightly more positive about the role of mobile devices in their
lives. About two-thirds of UK parents and teens (65 percent of
parents and 67 percent of teens) believe that using mobile
devices helps teens learn technological skills (see Table 3).
Additionally, about half of both groups believe that using mobile
devices helps teens learn skills that help in school or college (51
percent of parents and 57 percent of teens) and helps teens
pursue their hobbies and interests (53 percent of parents and
58 percent of teens).

TABLE 3. T
 eens’ use of mobile devices, parents’ vs. teens’
perceptions

Device use helps “a little”/”a lot”

with the following: Parents Teens
Learning technological skills 65% 67%
Pursuing hobbies/interests 53% 58%
Learning skills that help in school/ 51% 57%
college
Being creative/expressing themselves 48% 53%
Preparing for work in the future 43% 50%
Developing relationships with friends/ 40% 46%
family
Learning social or emotional skills 37% 46%

14 THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM © 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Both parents and teens feel that
using mobile devices helps teens
learn technological skills.

© 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM  15
HOW DO PARENTS & TEENS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
COMPARE TO THOSE IN THE UNITED STATES AND JAPAN?

Comparison Summary FIGURE 13. Feelings about addiction to mobile devices,

by country
United Kingdom
Parents who feel …
•• More parents in the UK “feel addicted” to their devices than
parents in the U.S. or Japan (see Figure 13). Their teens are “addicted” to their mobile devices
63% UK
•• More parents in the UK feel the need to respond immedi-
ately to texts, messages, and other notifications than 59% U.S.
parents in the U.S. or Japan (see Figure 19, page 19). 61% JAPAN

•• Teens in the UK (and Japan) are much less concerned than

“Addicted” to their mobile devices
their American counterparts about spending too much time
on their mobile devices (see Figure 16, page 18). 46% UK

27% U.S.
Across the UK, U.S., and Japan
38% JAPAN
•• Almost half or more of teens in all three countries are
checking their devices at least hourly (see Figure 18, page
Teens who feel …
19).
“Addicted” to their mobile devices
•• Nearly half of teens in all three countries report “feeling 44% UK
addicted” to their mobile devices (see Figure 13).
50% U.S.
•• Close to two-thirds of parents in all three countries feel their
45% JAPAN
teens are “addicted” to their mobile devices (see Figure 13).

•• Between a quarter and a third of teens in all three countries Their parents are “addicted” to their mobile devices

feel their parents are “addicted,” too (see Figure 13). 35% UK

•• The majority of parents and teens in all three countries feel 28% U.S.

that mobile device use has made no difference in parent- 27% JAPAN
teen relationships.

Notes: Sources for U.S. data are Common Sense Media (2015). The Common Sense census: Media use by tweens and teens. San Francisco, CA:
Common Sense Media; Common Sense Media (2016). Dealing with devices: The parent-teen dynamic. Retrieved August 3, 2018, from
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/technology-addiction-concern-controversy-and-finding-balance-infographic. Source for Japan data
is Robb, M. B., Bay, W., & Vennegaard, T. (2017). The new normal: Parents, teens, and digital devices in Japan. San Francisco, CA: Common Sense.
Data presented here compare findings from the current study with findings from earlier studies. However, due to minor changes in
methodology and question wording, as well as possible differences resulting from translation to Japanese, comparisons are made with caution,
and calculations for statistically significant differences among countries have not been completed.

16 THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM © 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Emerging Source of Conflict FIGURE 14. F amilies who argue daily about teen’s use of
mobile devices, by country
Conflict over teens’ use of devices
According to parents
•• More parents in the U.S. say they argue with their teens on
a daily basis about the teen’s use of mobile devices. Over a 22% UK

third (36 percent) of U.S. parents say this, compared to less 36% U.S.
than a quarter of parents in the UK and Japan (22 percent
19% JAPAN
and 19 percent, respectively) (see Figure 14).

•• Teens in the U.S. are also the most likely (32 percent) to say According to teens
they argue with their parents on a daily basis about their use 20% UK
of mobile devices, compared to less than a fifth of teens in
32% U.S.
the UK and Japan (20 percent and 12 percent, respectively).
12% JAPAN

How are mobile devices affecting parent-teen

relationships?
•• The majority of parent and teen respondents in the UK, the
U.S., and Japan feel that teens’ use of mobile devices has FIGURE 15. Feel that the other’s use of mobile devices has
had no effect on parent-teen relationships. A minority in hurt their relationship, by country
each country does feel that the teen’s use of these devices
has harmed their relationship (see Figure 15). According to parents
15% UK
•• Japanese parents are the most likely to feel that their teen’s
use of mobile devices has hurt parent-teen relationships. 15% U.S.

Almost a quarter (23 percent) of Japanese parents feel this 23% JAPAN
way, compared to 15 percent of U.S. parents and 15 percent
of UK parents. According to teens
3% UK
•• Among teens, those in the U.S. are the most likely to feel
that their use of mobile devices has hurt their relationship 11% U.S.
with their parents. Eleven percent of U.S. teens feel this way,
6% JAPAN
compared to 6 percent of Japanese teens and 3 percent of
UK teens.

© 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM  17
“Feeling Addicted” FIGURE 16. P
 erceptions of spending too much time on devices,
by country
“Feelings of addiction” are shared by significant numbers of
parents and teens in all three countries (see Figure 13, page 16):
Parents who feel …
•• Nearly half of teens in all three countries report “feeling Their teens spend too much time
addicted” to their mobile devices.
65% UK

•• Close to two-thirds of parents in all three countries feel their 66% U.S.
teens are “addicted” to their mobile devices.
52% JAPAN
•• Almost half of parents in the UK (46 percent) say they
“feel addicted” to their mobile devices. A little over a third They spend too much time
of Japanese parents (38 percent) and a little over a quarter 44% UK
of U.S. parents (27 percent) feel this way also.
29% U.S.

•• About a third or fewer of teens in all three countries feel 17% JAPAN
their parents are “addicted” to their mobile devices.

Teens who feel …

Spending too much time on devices They spend too much time

•• About two-thirds of parents in the U.S. and UK (66 32% UK

percent and 65 percent, respectively) feel their teens 52% U.S.
spend too much time on their mobile devices. About half
17% JAPAN
(52 percent) of Japanese parents feel this way about their
teens (see Figure 16).
Their parents spend too much time
•• Almost half (44 percent) of parents in the UK feel they 29% UK
spend too much time on their mobile devices. Fewer
52% U.S.
parents in the U.S. and Japan (29 percent and 17 percent,
respectively) feel this way about themselves. 22% JAPAN

•• More than half (52 percent) of teens in the U.S. feel they
spend too much time on their mobile devices. Far fewer
teens in the UK and Japan (32 percent and 17 percent,
FIGURE 17. Parents and teens who try to cut back on use of
respectively) feel this way.
their devices at least “very often,” by country
•• More than half (52 percent) of teens in the U.S. feel their
parents spend too much time on their devices. Far fewer
23%
teens in the UK and Japan (29 percent and 22 percent, 21%
respectively) feel this way about their parents.

Do families try to cut back?

11%
Similar proportions of parents in the UK and the U.S. (21 percent
8%
and 23 percent, respectively) say they try to “cut back” on their
use of mobile devices “very often.” Far fewer Japanese parents (4 4% 3%
percent) say they try to reduce their mobile device use “very
often” (see Figure 17). UK U.S. JAPAN UK U.S. JAPAN
Parents Teens

18 THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM © 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
The Urge to Check FIGURE 18. Check their devices at least hourly, by country
•• Over two-thirds (69 percent) of parents in the U.S. and
over half (58 percent) of parents in the UK check their 78%
mobile devices at least hourly (see Figure 18). Japanese 69%
66%
parents are the least likely to check hourly — but still over 58%
a third (38 percent) do so. 48%

38%
•• Like their parents, teens in the U.S. and the UK are the
most likely to check their devices hourly. Over three-quar-
ters of U.S. teens (78 percent) and two-thirds (66 percent)
of UK teens do so. Almost half (48 percent) of Japanese
UK U.S. JAPAN UK U.S. JAPAN
teens check hourly. Parents Teens

Feeling the need to respond immediately

•• Parents in the UK are more likely than those in the U.S. and
Japan to feel the need to respond immediately to their
FIGURE 19. F eel the need to respond immediately to mobile
mobile devices. More than half (57 percent) of UK parents devices, by country
feel the need to respond immediately, compared to under
half (48 percent) of U.S. parents and over a third
72%
(36 percent) of Japanese parents (see Figure 19). 65%
57%
•• Among teens, however, those in the U.S. are the most
48% 48%
likely to feel the need to respond immediately, followed
36%
by those in the UK and Japan. Almost three-quarters
(72 percent) of U.S. teens feel this way, compared to
almost two-thirds (65 percent) of UK teens and under
half (48 percent) of Japanese teens. UK U.S. JAPAN UK U.S. JAPAN
Parents Teens

© 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM  19
CONCLUSION
Part of an ongoing global mapping project, this report is the
second in a series of studies titled The New Normal that track
parents’ and teens’ mobile device habits, attitudes, and opinions.
As we navigate the fast-moving change in the technology land-
scape, it is critical to understand how our lives and our family
relationships are affected by mobile device use.
A few limitations to this study must be noted:
•• We used an online convenience sample, but we carefully
specified quotas to get as close as possible to a sample rep-
resenting the age, gender, and regional composition of the
United Kingdom. However, we recognize that not every
parent and teen in the UK had an equal likelihood of selec-
tion for participation, and thus the study could be improved
with probability sampling.
•• This sample only includes users of mobile devices and thus
should not be taken as indicative of the attitudes of the total
population, including families that do not have access to, or
use, mobile devices. For example, a recent Ofcom study
found that 7 percent of children age 12 to 15 did not have
access to a mobile phone in their home*.
•• While we did collect data about the amount of time parents
and teens spend on mobile devices, analysis showed that
the time estimates were far higher than comparable surveys
of mobile device use in the UK*. The time estimates will not
be presented until additional investigation is able to cor-
roborate our findings.
•• It is possible that parents and teens saw each other’s
responses while taking the survey, which might have had an
effect on how they responded to the questions.
•• While we have presented comparisons among populations
in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Japan, we do
so cautiously, as there may be cohort differences resulting
from when surveys were conducted. In addition, we realize
there are likely to be other differences that may have arisen
*For example, see Ofcom (2017). Children and parents: Media use and attitudes report. Ofcom. Retrieved from https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/
assets/pdf_file/0020/108182/children-parents-media-use-attitudes-2017.pdf.
20 THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
from slight changes in question wording. For example, it is
possible that news about problematic technology use or
“technology addiction” could affect how respondents per-
ceived the survey questions. It is also possible that cultural
differences affected the interpretations of questions, though
we have done our best to work with advisers in the UK and
Japan, and translators in Japan, to minimize these issues.
•• We recognize that this is the beginning of our global
mapping project. We have collected data from only three
countries (the U.S., Japan, and the UK), developed nations
in the global north, and our findings document the impact of
mobile devices in these very specific populations. We look
forward to investigating whether similar patterns emerge in
other countries with high mobile device penetration, as well
as identifying areas in which mobile devices may be per-
ceived and used differently across cultures.
We believe that the constant presence of mobile devices is
affecting family life in many countries around the world. As we
continue to advance our global mapping project to other coun-
tries and regions, our goal remains to make this a truly
cross-cultural dialogue.
Resources
Common Sense, www.commonsense.org, empowers parents,
teachers, and policymakers by providing unbiased information,
trusted advice, and innovative tools to help them harness the
power of media and technology as a positive force in all kids’ lives.
Our academic partner in the UK, professor Sonia Livingstone at
the London School of Economics and Political Science, conducts
some of the foremost research on parenting in the digital age. To
learn more about her work and her colleagues’ work, please visit
Parenting for a Digital Future at http://parenting.digital.
© 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
APPENDIX: TOPLINES
N=618 parent-teen pairs in the United Kingdom in which both the parent and the teen use mobile devices for recreational purposes.

Part 1: Parent Questions

Thank you for your interest in taking this important survey with questions about your family’s mobile device use. This survey is designed for
parents/caregivers and their teens. Clearly marked sections contain questions directed to the parent/caregiver and others directed to the
teen. We hope you will find this experience valuable and thank you for your participation. Please note that the survey will require your teen-
ager to be present to complete a section of the survey.

Q1. Do you have at least one child between the ages of 13 and 17 living at least part-time at home with you? If you have
multiple children, please tell us about your eldest child between the ages of 13 and 17.

13-year-old boy 3%
14-year-old boy 12%
15-year-old boy 14%
16-year-old boy 10%
17-year-old boy 12%
13-year-old girl 5%
14-year-old girl 10%
15-year-old girl 13%
16-year-old girl 11%
17-year-old girl 10%

Q2. For the purposes of this survey, we define mobile devices as referring to smartphones and tablets (e.g. iPad, Kindle Fire,
etc.). Does your [teen] use mobile devices? Please select only one answer. Please include instances where the child
borrows the device from someone else in your household. 

Uses mobile devices 100%

Q3. Does your [teen] use mobile devices for non-study purposes? Please select only one answer. 

Yes 100%

Q4. Now we would like to ask a few questions about you, the parent/caregiver. Are you the primary user of a mobile device?
Please exclude devices that are used exclusively for work. 

Yes 100%

Q5. What is your age?

Average age 44 years

© 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM  21
Q6. Where in the UK do you currently live?

England 87%
Northern Ireland 2%
Scotland 7%
Wales 4%
Other *

* Indicates fewer than 0.5% but greater than zero.

Q7. Do you currently live in a town or city in the UK with a population of over 10,000 people?

Yes 86%
No 14%

Q8. What is your gender?

Male 50%
Female 50%

Q9. What is your current employment status?

Fully employed or self-employed 79%

Other 21%

If Q9 = Fully employed or self-employed

Q10. Please indicate to which occupational group you belong.

Semi or unskilled worker 14%

(e.g. manual worker, apprentice, park keeper, shop assistant)
Skilled manual worker 19%
(e.g. skilled bricklayer, carpenter, plumber, bus driver)
Supervisory or clerical/junior managerial/professional/administrative 32%
(e.g. office worker, nurse, foreman with 25+ employees, salesperson)
Intermediate managerial/professional/administrative 24%
(e.g. middle manager in large organization, principal officer in civil service/local government, teacher)
Higher managerial/professional/administrative 8%
(e.g. doctor, solicitor, top level civil servant)
Independent business owner/self-employed 3%
Other 1%

22 THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM © 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
If Q9 = Other

Q11. Please indicate which of the following best describes your current employment status.

Full-time student 1%
Casual worker 9%
Homemaker 50%
Retired or living on state pension 2%
Unemployed or not working due to long-term sickness 19%
Carer of other household member 5%
Other 14%

Q12. Which of the following best describes your annual net household income?

Up to £5,199 1%
£5,200 to £10,399 4%
£10,400 to £15,599 9%
£15,600 to £20,799 8%
£20,800 to £25,999 10%
£26,000 to £31,199 14%
£31,200 to £36,399 10%
£36,400 to £51,999 19%
£52,000 and above 20%
Prefer not to answer 4%

Q13. Which of the following best describes your race/ethnicity?

White 90%
Black/Black British 2%
Asian/Asian British 6%
Mixed 2%
Other *
Prefer not to answer 1%

* Indicates fewer than 0.5% but greater than zero.

Q14. How many children aged 0 to 17 do you have in total who live at home with you or who you have regular responsibility for?

1 child 40%
2 children 40%
3 children 14%
4 children 4%
5 or more children 2%

© 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM  23
Q15. Who is responsible for taking care of your child/children? Please select all that apply. 

I am a single parent 17%

I share the care of my child/children with a partner 77%
I share the care of my child/children with an ex-partner 9%
I share the care of my child/children with a grandparent/relative 1%
I share the care of my child/children with a paid caregiver (e.g. nanny, childminder) 0%

* Indicates fewer than 0.5% but greater than zero.

This section of the survey is again directed toward you, the parent/caregiver. Please answer the questions yourself and do not show the survey
to your child until instructed to do so.

Q16. Thinking about a regular weekday, how much time do you spend doing each of the following activities on mobile devices?

1–29 30–59 1 hr– 2 hrs– 3 hrs– 4 hrs– 5 hrs– 6 hrs– 7 hrs– 8 hrs
0 min min min <2 hrs <3 hrs <4 hrs <5 hrs <6 hrs <7 hrs <8 hrs or more
Work purposes 39% 16% 11% 13% 6% 4% 1% 1% 1% 2% 5%
Visiting social 11% 28% 19% 16% 11% 5% 4% 2% 2% 1% 2%
network sites†
Browsing websites† 5% 26% 25% 21% 11% 5% 3% 8% 1% 1% 2%
†
Playing games 35% 24% 16% 10% 6% 4% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1%
†
Watching videos 30% 35% 13% 10% 7% 1% 1% 1% * 1% 1%
Listening to music† 28% 27% 17% 12% 8% 3% 2% 2% * 1% *
Chatting on 19% 44% 16% 9% 5% 3% 1% 1% * * 1%
messaging apps†
Making phone calls† 11% 59% 13% 8% 4% 2% 1% * 0% 1% 1%
Other than those 65% 17% 7% 5% 3% 1% * 0% * * 1%
listed above†

* Indicates fewer than 0.5% but greater than zero.

† Activity for non-work purposes.

Q17. Thinking about a regular weekday, do you feel you spend too much time on mobile devices, too little time, or just about
the right amount of time?

Too much time 44%

Too little time 5%
Right amount of time 51%

24 THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM © 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Q18. During a regular weekday, how often do you find yourself checking mobile devices for texts, emails, updates, etc.?

Several times an hour 39%

Once an hour 19%
Several times a day 27%
Once a day 3%
Less than once a day 2%
Never *

* Indicates fewer than 0.5% but greater than zero.

Q19. How much time passes before you use a mobile device on a regular weekday morning? .
(This does not include its use as an alarm.)

I use a mobile device...

Within 5 minutes of waking up 27%
Within 6 to 30 minutes 45%
Within 31 to 60 minutes 18%
After more than 60 minutes 9%
Do not use on a regular weekday morning 1%

Q20. Do you feel addicted to mobile devices? 

Yes 46%
No 54%

Q21. How often do you try to cut back the amount of time you spend on mobile devices?

Always 5%
Very often 16%
Occasionally 40%
Rarely 21%
Never 18%

If Q23 = Always–Rarely

Q22. When you try to cut back the amount of time you spend on mobile devices, how often do you actually succeed?

Always 10%
Very often 27%
Occasionally 39%
Rarely 19%
Never 5%

© 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM  25
Q23. How often do you feel the need to respond immediately to texts, social networking messages or other notifications on
mobile devices?

Always 15%
Very often 42%
Occasionally 32%
Rarely 8%
Never 3%

Q24. How often do you feel distracted by your use of mobile devices?

Multiple times a day 36%

Once a day 14%
A few times a week 24%
Once a week 4%
Less than once a week 8%
Never 14%

Q25. How does your use of mobile devices affect the following aspects of your family life?

Makes no
Helps a lot Helps a little difference Hurts a little Hurts a lot
Family meals 8% 14% 61% 11% 6%
Family travel 18% 30% 43% 6% 2%
Family conversations 8% 18% 47% 22% 5%
Family outings 10% 28% 44% 14% 4%
Family activities 9% 28% 42% 17% 4%

Now we will ask you to answer a few questions regarding your perceptions of your teenager’s use of mobile devices. Please select the answers
that best reflect your feelings and, again, do not show the survey to your teenager until instructed to do so. 

Q26. How frequently does your [teen] use mobile devices?

Once a day or more 93%

Less than once a day but more than once a week 6%
Once a week or less *

* Indicates fewer than 0.5% but greater than zero.

Q27. Thinking about a regular weekday, do you feel your [teen] spends too much time on mobile devices, too little time, .
or just about the right amount of time?

Too much time 65%

Too little time 6%
Right amount of time 29%

26 THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM © 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Q28. For which purposes does your [teen] use mobile devices? Please select all applicable answers.

Study purposes 49%

Visiting social network sites (for non-study purposes) 81%
Browsing websites (for non-study purposes) 80%
Playing games (for non-study purposes) 67%
Watching videos (for non-study purposes) 77%
Listening to music (for non-study purposes) 75%
Chatting on messaging apps (for non-study purposes) 75%
Making phone calls (for non-study purposes) 52%
Non-study purposes other than those listed above 3%

Q29. Thinking about your child’s use of mobile devices for non-study purposes, do you think it helps or hurts their chances of…?

Helps Helps Makes no Hurts Hurts

a lot a little difference a little a lot
Developing relationships with friends/family 9% 31% 30% 22% 7%
Learning social or emotional skills 8% 29% 33% 23% 7%
Learning technological skills 22% 43% 29% 4% 2%
Learning skills that help at school/college 13% 38% 38% 8% 4%
Being creative/express themselves 9% 39% 35% 12% 5%
Preparing for work in the future 9% 34% 38% 15% 5%
Pursuing their hobbies/interests 12% 41% 28% 13% 6%

Q30. How worried are you about the content your child consumes using mobile devices?

Not worried Slightly Moderately Very Extremely

at all worried worried worried worried
The websites/apps they use 36% 37% 20% 6% 2%
What they see on social media 25% 44% 21% 8% 3%
What they post on social media 43% 31% 19% 5% 2%

Q31. Has your [teen]’s use of mobile devices mainly helped or hurt your relationship with your child, .
or has it not made a difference?

Mainly helped 15%

Made no difference 71%
Mainly hurt 15%

© 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM  27
Q32. How does your teenager’s use of mobile devices affect the following aspects of your family life?

Makes no
Helps a lot Helps a little difference Hurts a little Hurts a lot
Family meals 6% 9% 57% 21% 7%
Family travel 7% 24% 52% 13% 4%
Family conversations 6% 15% 46% 25% 8%
Family outings 7% 17% 52% 18% 6%
Family activities 7% 15% 51% 20% 7%

Q33. How often do you feel your teenager is distracted by their use of mobile devices?

Multiple times a day 58%

Once a day 14%
A few times a week 18%
Once a week 2%
Less than once a week 4%
Never 5%

Q34. Do you feel your [teen] is addicted to mobile devices?

Yes 63%
No 34%

Q35. How often do you argue with your [teen] about their use of mobile devices? 

Multiple times a day 13%

Once a day 9%
A few times a week 18%
Once a week 7%
Less than once a week 24%
Never 29%

28 THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM © 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Q36. Do any of the following lead to regular difficulties or conflicts between you and your [teen]? Please select all that apply.

Bedtime/sleep 33%
Money 14%
Homework 28%
Amount of screen time 31%
What they do on mobile devices 17%
What they do with their friends 13%
What they wear 9%
What they eat 18%
Chores/helping in the house 35%
Their behaviour 27%
None of these 22%

Q37. Do you have family rules regarding the use of mobile devices (e.g. no phones at the dinner table)?

Yes 66%
No 34%

If Q37 = Yes

Q38. Who is more likely to break those rules?

You and/or your partner 13%

Your child/children 41%
Equally likely 15%
Nobody breaks the rules 30%

Q39. How often do you do any of these things in relation to your [teen]’s use of mobile devices?

Never Hardly ever Sometimes Often Very often

Suggest that they use particular websites/apps 21% 22% 43% 11% 3%
that you think are good for them
Use parental controls/apps to block or monitor 38% 22% 20% 13% 7%
access to some types of websites/apps
Make rules about their use of mobile devices 18% 21% 34% 20% 8%
Promise that they can use a mobile device as a 47% 20% 21% 8% 4%
reward for good behaviour
Remove a mobile device as a punishment for 30% 23% 30% 10% 6%
bad behaviour
Check which friends or contacts they add 37% 19% 27% 12% 5%
Check their messages 48% 17% 22% 10% 3%
“Friend” or “follow” them on social media so 34% 13% 26% 17% 9%
you can see what they do

© 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM  29
Part 2: Teen Questions
Now we would like to ask your [teen] similar questions. If you are recording the answers on behalf of your child, please record their exact
answer, even if you disagree with their response.

Q40. Thinking about a regular weekday, how much time do you spend doing each of the following activities on mobile devices?

1–29 30–59 1 hr– 2 hrs– 3 hrs– 4 hrs– 5 hrs– 6 hrs– 7 hrs– 8 hrs
0 min min min <2 hrs <3 hrs <4 hrs <5 hrs <6 hrs <7 hrs <8 hrs or more
Study purposes 20% 25% 19% 18% 8% 5% 2% 1% 1% * 2%
Visiting social 6% 18% 25% 20% 14% 9% 3% 2% 1% 1% 1%
network sites†
Browsing websites† 5% 26% 24% 19% 11% 7% 3% 1% 1% * 1%
†
Playing games 13% 22% 20% 20% 12% 6% 3% 2% * 1% 1%
†
Watching videos 5% 24% 19% 21% 13% 8% 4% 2% * 1% 2%
†
Listening to music 9% 17% 19% 24% 13% 7% 4% 2% 2% 2% 2%
Chatting on 7% 21% 24% 21% 10% 7% 4% 2% 1% 1% 2%
messaging apps†
Making phone calls† 23% 38% 15% 12% 6% 3% 1% * 1% 1% 1%
Other than those 61% 13% 7% 7% 6% 2% 1% 1% 0% * *
listed above†

* Indicates fewer than 0.5% but greater than zero.

† Activity for non-work purposes.

Q41. Thinking about a regular weekday, do you feel you spend too much time on mobile devices, too little time, or just about
the right amount of time?

Too much time 32%

Too little time 9%
Right amount of time 59%

Q42. During a regular weekday, how often do you find yourself checking mobile devices for texts, emails, updates, etc.?

Several times an hour 49%

Once an hour 17%
Several times a day 25%
Once a day 5%
Less than once a day 3%
Never 2%

30 THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM © 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Q43. How much time passes before you use a mobile device on a regular weekday morning? .
(This does not include its use as an alarm.)

I use a mobile device...

Within 5 minutes of waking up 48%
Within 6–30 minutes 31%
Within 31–60 minutes 13%
After more than 60 minutes 5%
Do not use on a regular weekday morning 3%

Q44. Thinking about your use of mobile devices for non-study purposes, do you think it helps or hurts your chances of...?

Helps Helps Makes no Hurts Hurts

a lot a little difference a little a lot
Developing relationships with friends/family 18% 28% 46% 6% 2%
Learning social or emotional skills 14% 32% 47% 5% 2%
Learning technological skills 27% 40% 27% 5% 1%
Learning skills that help at school/college 23% 34% 38% 5% 1%
Being creative/express yourself 21% 32% 42% 3% 2%
Preparing for work in the future 17% 33% 42% 6% 2%
Pursuing your hobbies/interests 25% 33% 37% 3% 2%

Q45. How does your use of mobile devices affect the following aspects of your family life?

Helps Helps Makes no Hurts Hurts

a lot a little difference a little a lot
Family meals 4% 14% 69% 10% 3%
Family travel 10% 21% 62% 6% 2%
Family conversations 6% 18% 61% 13% 3%
Family outings 8% 22% 60% 7% 2%
Family activities 7% 21% 60% 9% 3%

Q46. If you had to go a day without access to mobile devices, to what extent would you feel the following emotions?

Not at all Some extent Moderate extent Great extent

Anxiety 26% 31% 24% 20%
Happiness 45% 24% 21% 9%
Loneliness 31% 30% 26% 14%
Relief 57% 20% 16% 7%
Boredom 12% 22% 24% 42%
Freedom 44% 22% 21% 13%

© 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM  31
Q47. Do you feel addicted to mobile devices?

Yes 44%
No 56%

Q48. How often do you try to cut back the amount of time you spend on mobile devices?

Always 3%
Very often 8%
Occasionally 22%
Rarely 22%
Never 44%

If Q48 = Always–Rarely

Q49. When you try to cut back the amount of time you spend on mobile devices, how often do you actually succeed?

Always 5%
Very often 21%
Occasionally 43%
Rarely 28%
Never 4%

Q50. How often do you feel the need to respond immediately to texts, social networking messages or other notifications on
mobile devices?

Always 29%
Very often 36%
Occasionally 23%
Rarely 5%
Never 7%

Q51. How often do you feel distracted by your use of mobile devices?

Multiple times a day 38%

Once a day 16%
A few times a week 21%
Once a week 5%
Less than once a week 3%
Never 16%

32 THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM © 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Now we would like you to think about the parent/caregiver you’re taking this survey with and answer a few questions about their mobile
device use.

Q52. Thinking about a regular weekday, do you feel the parent/caregiver you are taking the survey with spends too much time
on mobile devices, too little time, or just about the right amount of time?

Too much time 29%

Too little time 15%
Right amount of time 57%

Q53. Do you feel the parent/caregiver you are taking the survey with is addicted to mobile devices?

Yes 35%
No 65%

Q54. Again thinking about the parent/caregiver you are taking the survey with, has their use of mobile devices mainly helped
or hurt your relationship with them, or has it not made a difference?

Mainly helped 14%

Made no difference 83%
Mainly hurt 3%

Q55. How does your parent/caregiver’s use of mobile devices affect the following aspects of your family life?

Helps Helps Makes no Hurts Hurts

a lot a little difference a little a lot
Family meals 5% 11% 77% 5% 2%
Family travel 7% 21% 65% 4% 2%
Family conversations 6% 15% 68% 8% 3%
Family outings 7% 18% 68% 6% 2%
Family activities 7% 18% 66% 7% 3%

Q56. How often do you feel the parent/caregiver you are taking the survey with is distracted by their use of mobile devices?

Multiple times a day 24%

Once a day 20%
A few times a week 21%
Once a week 6%
Less than once a week 11%
Never 19%

© 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM  33
Q57. How often do you argue with the parent/caregiver you are taking the survey with about your use of mobile devices?

Multiple times a day 10%

Once a day 10%
A few times a week 20%
Once a week 7%
Less than once a week 18%
Never 35%

Q58. Do any of the following lead to regular difficulties or conflicts between you and the parent/caregiver you are taking the
survey with? Please select all that apply.

Bedtime/sleep 31%
Money 17%
Homework 28%
Amount of screen time 27%
What you do on mobile devices 19%
What you do with their friends 14%
What you wear 12%
What you eat 18%
Chores/helping in the house 32%
Your behaviour 23%
None of these 24%

Q59. Do you have family rules regarding the use of mobile devices (e.g. no phones at the dinner table)?

Yes 62%
No 38%

If Q59 = Yes

Q60. Who is more likely to break those rules?

The adult(s) 17%

You/your siblings 39%
Equally likely 17%
Nobody breaks the rules 27%

34 THE NEW NORMAL: PARENTS, TEENS, AND MOBILE DEVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM © 2018 COMMON SENSE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3)
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